Christmas History
Christmas history is much older than you think. It is older than Santa Claus, Christmas trees or even the Nativity of Jesus Christ.

Christmas history stretches from society to society, from culture to culture. It is amazing to see how many of the icons of the season pop up in the ancient history of civilizations all over the world.

In this merry section of MMC we dive deep into the stories of Christmas and explain how the modern elements of Christmas celebration came to be. Many of these are histories unknown to those who just do things because tradition dictates it.

Christmas War
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Santa Claus at War

Christmas is a traditional season of peace but even Santa straps on the uniform of a soldier when called to duty. Over time Santa has been "enlisted" in the cause of one side or another in periods of war. Not surprisingly, most of the images…

Christmas at Beacon Hill

A 1929 newspaper article from Boston tells the story of a boy named Alfred Shurtleff, who in 1893 began a tradition in his Boston neighborhood that reads a lot like the spirited Christmas enthusiasts of our day who festively decorate their homes…
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History of the Christmas Countdown

The anticipation of Christmas is considered by many one of the great joys of the season. These days there are websites and social media groups dedicated to counting down days to Christmas and cable television channels have adopted a countdown…

Christmas with Lewis & Clark

The Lewis and Clark Corp of Discovery expedition was commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson in 1803 to explore the lands acquired through the Louisiana Purchase. It began in St. Louis and traveled over the continental divide to the Pacific…
Christmas Stories
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Christmas Trains

For more than a century trains were the center piece of mass transportation. This time in culture also saw the rise of the industrial revolution and, as well, the media-driven mass popularity of the secular Christmas. The real connection…
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History of Christmas Villages

As far as Christmas goes, the city of Palm Springs, California is far removed from being a Christmas village. But for Dennis Lloyd his annual return for winter time in Palm Springs signals the beginning of Christmas. He just can’t wait to…
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Christmas at Sea

When thinking of Christmas at sea one immediately turns to the traditional carol “I Saw Three Ships”. The song, repeatedly made popular by interpretations in modern recording ranging from Sting to Amy Grant to traditional orchestras, is…

History of Christmas Catalogs

The industrial revolution brought an explosion of new products in mass quantities to market. The ability of mass media – in the form of print, radio or telegram – to get the word out about such products influenced buyers around the world.…
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The Christmas Candy Bomber

The epilogue to World War II was the massive effort made to recover war-torn Europe. For months and even years following the war times were lean as millions scrambled to recover lives. U.S. President Harry Truman led a massive effort –…
Black Friday

History of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

John D. Rockefeller, Jr. grew up with Christmas firmly a part of his family’s culture. An 1885 school essay speaks of Christmas being celebrated with family and sleigh rides. But Christmas was never on his mind years later as he envisioned…
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Christmas in Ireland

The Irish get more than their share of love every St. Patrick’s Day but they feel a little left out when it comes to Christmas. That is unfortunate because many of the ancient elements of Christmas have Irish roots. The most Irish of Christmas…
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Candlemas

There are 327 days remaining until Christmas in our countdown but on this day we actually celebrate a day reflective of the fact that Christmas was 40 days ago. This day is known as Candlemas. For many, the thinking of this day as a Christian…
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DVD Review: Handel’s Messiah

There is perhaps no other music associated with Christmas that people know but know so little about than Handel's Messiah. In a documentary shown widely on PBS this holiday season BYU Television travels the world to showcase the everlasting…
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Five Things People Get Wrong about The Nativity

I have been on a mission over the course of several Christmas seasons to find a Biblically correct Nativity scene. Like others who celebrate the religious elements of Christmas I am fond of the Nativity story and want it to share space with…